Closure assembly



Nov. 20, 1956 E. HENDERSON CLOSURE ASSEMBLY Filed 'May 19, 1954 INVENTORATTORNEYS .m .r w

l M al United States Patent O CLOSURE ASSEMBLY Edward Henderson,Montclair, N. I.

Application May 19, 1954, Serial No. 430,827

7 Claims. (Cl. 222-83) This invention relates to an improved closureassembly for containers and particularly to a closure assembly of thetype suitable for use with collapsible tubes.

Pharmaceutical, medicinal and biological preparations are frequentlypackaged in containers from which they are dispensed when it is desiredto use them. While the packages are being shipped or stored, prior touse, it is desirable that the contents be preserved in sterile conditionand protected from contamination or exposure to the atmosphere and lossthrough evaporation or leakage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved closureassembly for a container which is initially sealed in an effectivemanner so as to preserve the contents of the container in sterilecondition and to protect the contents from contamination, exposure tothe atmosphere and loss by evaporation or leakage.

A further object is the provision of an improved closure assembly of theabove type provided with a removable cap which may be conveniently usedfor breaking the seal so that the contents can be dispensed from thecontainer and will thereafter serve as a removable closure to protectthe contents until they have been completely consumed.

In carrying out my invention I provide a container with a dispensingaperture initially closed and sealed by means of a xed diaphragm made ofa relatively soft pierceable material. I also provide the dispensingaperture with a removable closure having a piercing point for piercingthe diaphragm. The piercing point is initially held out of engagementwith the diaphragm by frangible stop members which may be broken byapplying an excessive torque force to the closure thereby permitting thepiercing point to pierce and open the diaphragm. The removable closuremay thereafter be removed or applied to expose or cover the dispensingaperture.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View ofthe upper end of a container having a closure assembly embodying myinvention and showing the parts in their initial position with thesealing diaphragm intact and the piercing point held in spaced relationwith respect thereto by the frangible stop members;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the removable closure fully applied sothat the piercing point has pierced the sealing diaphragm;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view in the direction of the arrows on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the upper end of a container somewhatsimilar to Fig. l but showing a closure assembly with modified stopmembers and with the sealing diaphragm intact;

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional View showing the removable closure of Fig.6 in fully applied position and the sealing diaphragm pierced by thesealing point; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the modied type of closure shown inFigs. 4 and 5.

My invention is applicable to various types of containers but it isparticularly applicable to collapsible tubes ICC of the type used inpackaging and dispensing various types of pharmaceutical, medicinal andbiological products. Thus, in the accompanying drawing 1 have shown acollapsible tube having a container body 10 made of a soft metal such aslead, tin or antimony or alloys thereof, or a suitable plastic material.

The one end of the container is provided with a tubular dispensingnozzle 11 through which the contents of the tube may be dispensed whenit is collapsed. The dispensing nozzle is externally threaded in theusual manner so as to receive the removable closure cap 12 shown inFigs. 1 to 3 or the closure cap 13 shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Initially, when the container is first filled and sold a pierceablesealing diaphragm is provided across the dispensing aperture in thenozzle a short distance beneath the outer end of the nozzle. Thediaphragm is a fixed member which is preferably formed integrally withthe nozzle and container body. Under any circumstances, it is made of apierceable material which will not shatter or split so as to preventparticles of the diaphragm from contaminating the contents of thecontainer when it is pierced. For this purpose, I have found that the daphragm may be made of a soft metal such as lead, tin, antimony or alloysthereof, or of a suitable plastic material such as a polyvinyl resin,cellulose acetate, polyethylene or the like. The diaphragm isimpermeable to the atmosphere, to the contents of the container, and tocontaminants and is not adversely affected thereby so that it provides asatisfactory seal for the dispensing aperture.

The closure caps 12 and 13 are provided with an inwardly projectingpiercing point 15 so that when the cap is fully applied, the piercingpoint will pierce the sealing diaphragm and will fold it backwardlyagainst the inner surfaces of the dispensing nozzle as shown in Figs. 2and 5. In this connection the piercing point has a cylindrical portionand a tapered portion. The cylindrical portion should be of a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of the dispensing aperture when thediaphragm is folded inwardly against the inner surface thereof as shownin Figs. 2 and 5. Also, it should be substantially as long as the radiusof the diaphragm so as to cause the entire length of the pierceddiaphragm to fold backwardly into contact with the inner surface of thedispensing nozzle. This prevents the pierced diaphragm from interferingwith the dispensing operation and provides a dispensing aperture ofmaximum area Without any pockets or recesses in which the contents ofthe container will lodge when dispensed.

When the container and closure assembly are in their initial position,the closure is only partially applied to the container with the piercingpoint held spaced from the diaphragm. For this purpose, I providefrangible stop members which serve to hold the closure in this partiallyapplied position under normal conditions. The frangible stop members aredisposed between the closure and the container and are preferablyconnected to one or the other. When a sufficient torque force is appliedto the closure to tighten the cap, the stop members are broken or bentso as to permit the cap to be fully applied with the result that thepiercing point will pierce the diaphragm pushing it back against theinner surface of the dispensing nozzle as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Inorder to accomplish this result the internally threaded apron portion ofthe cap shown at 12 in Figs. l and 2, and of 13 in Figs. 4 and 5 must besufficiently long vso that the threads are adequately engaged when theclosure is in its initial position and will also serve to feed theclosure all the way down to fully closed position.

The frangible stops may be secured to either the cap or the container.In the form shown in Figs. l to 3, I

provide radial projections 16 integrally connected to the outer surfaceof the dispensing nozzle immediately beneath the threaded portionthereof and projecting outwardly so as to be engageable with the lowerendof the apron portion of the cap. The number and arrangement of stopmembers may vary and in Fig. 3, I have illustrated four equally spacedradial stop members. I have found that it is preferable to form thelower end of the apron portion of the cap with a flange spaced outwardlyfrom the threaded exterior surface of the dispensing nozzle. The flangeengages the ends of the stop members and when suicient torque is appliedto the cap the stop members are initially bent downwardly and areaccommodated by the space inside the flange. As the cap is furtherrotated, the stop members may break off completely or may be bent toconform to the inner surface of the cap.

ln the form of my invention shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, the stopstake the form of projections 17 depending downwardly from the lower endof the cap 13 and engageable with the sloping walls 18 at the upper endof the collapsible container adjacent the dispensing nozzle. The angularsurface 18 performs a camming function when suicient torque force isapplied to the cap causing the projections 17 to first bend outwardly asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and then` to completely break off withthe result that the cap may be fully applied to the position shown inFig. 5.

When the cap is fully applied as shown in Figs. 2 and the piercing point15 serves as a plug. The top of the cap seats against the upper end ofthe dispensing nozzle and the piercing points seats inside of thepierced diaphragm of the dispensing nozzle.

In using a container having my improved closure assembly, the removableclosure cap is initially only partially applied to the limit permittedby the frangible stops with the result that the sealing diaphragm servesto maintain the contents in sterile condition and protects them fromcontamination, contact with the atmosphere and loss by evaporation orleakage. The container may be shipped and stored while thus sealed. Whenit is desired to use a portion or all of the contents, sufficient torqueforce is applied to the closure to tighten it with the result that thefrangible stops are bent or broken and the piercing plug pierces thediaphragm, forcing it back against the inner wall of the dispensingnozzle. The removable closure may then be removed to permit all or aportion of the contents to be dispensed and may then be reapplied toprotect the contents until it is desired to use them again.

Modifications may, of course, be made in the illustrated and describedembodiments of my invention without departing from the invention as setforth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

l. A container closure assembly comprising: a con tainer having anexternally threaded tubular dispensing nozzle with a dispensing apertureextending therethrough; a diaphragm made from a non-shatteringrelatively soft fluid impervious material extending across thedispensing aperture in the nozzle to seal the same; an internallythreaded removable closure cap engageable with the threaded nozzle toclose the same, the said cap having a'completely enclosed top portionserving as a sealed closure for said container and said closure caphaving a piercing plug depending downwardly from the top of the cap andengageable with the diaphragm to pierce the same when the cap is fullyapplied but being spaced from the diaphragm when the cap is onlypartially applied; and frangible stop means between the cap andcontainer and connected to one of said parts and being engageable withthe other part when the cap is only partially applied to limit thefurther application thereof, said stop means being frangible so as tobreak when suiiicient torque force is applied to the cap in thedirection of further application of the cap whereby the cap can be fullyapplied and the diaphragm pierced.

2. A container closure assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which thefrangible stop means is in the form of a radial projection formed on thedispensing nozzle and engageable with the lower end of the cap when itis partially applied.

3. A container closure assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which thefrangible stop means is in the form of a radial projection formed on thedispensing nozzle and the cap has a flange at its lower end spacedradially from the dispensing nozzle and engageable with the radialprojection when the cap is only partially applied.

4. A container closure assembly as set forth in claim l in which thefrangible stop means is in the form of a frangible projection at thelower end of the cap engageable with the container when the cap is onlypartially applied thereto.

5. A container closure assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which thefrangible stop means is in the form of a frangible projection at thelower end or" the cap and the container has an annularly disposed wallengageable with the stop means when the cap is only partially applied tothe container, said wall serving as a cam surface to deflect and breakthe frangible projection when suflicient torque force is applied to thecap.

6. A container closure assembly as set forth in claim l in which thepiercing point has a cylindrical portion with a tapered portion at itsouter end terminating in a centrally positioned point .the cylindricalportion being substantially equal in diameter to the diameter of theaperture in the dispensing nozzle when the diaphragm is disposed againstthe inner surface thereof and said cylindrical portion beingapproximately equal in length to the radius of the diaphragm.

7. A container closure assembly comprising: a container having anexternally threaded tubular dispensing nozzle with a dispensing apertureextending therethrough; a diaphragm made from a non-shatteringrelatively soft duid impervious material extending across the dispensingaperture in the nozzle to seal the same; an internally threadedremovable closure cap engageable with the threaded nozzle to close thesame, the said cap having a completely enclosed top portion serving as asealed closure for said container and said closure cap having a piercingplug depending downwardly from the top of the cap and engageable withthe diaphragm to pier-ce the same when the cap is fully applied butbeing spaced from the diaphragm when the cap is only partially applied;and frangible stop means between the cap and container and connected toone of said parts and being engageable with the other part when the capis only partially applied to limit the further application thereof, saidstop means being pliable so as to bend when sufficient torque force isapplied to the cap in the direction of further application of the capwhereby the cap can be fully applied and the diaphragm pierced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS1,909,209 Miller May 16, 1933 2,073,292 Waite et al. Mar. 9, 19372,317,420 Taylor Apr. 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,091,615 France Apr. 13,1955 ggz.. fiom..

